


Dinner with Friends, A

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-11-18
Updated: 2004-11-18
Packaged: 2019-05-15 20:28:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14797433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: "I never said what kind of dinner I would make, Joshua.  You should've been more specific."





	Dinner with Friends, A

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Dinner with Friends**

**by: Helen**

**Character(s):** Josh, Donna, CJ  
**Pairing(s):** Josh/Donna  
**Category(s):** Humor  
**Rating:** CHILD  
**Summary:** "I never said what kind of dinner I would make, Joshua. You should've been more specific."  
**Feedback:** Yes please  
**Author's Note:** This is just meant to be a bit of fluff, set after CJ's bet with Josh from Third Day Story. I'm not entirely sure the extent of Donna's injuries or how well she gets around, so I took artistic license with her mobility, and also with where and what kind of building CJ lives in. However, the stuff about New Hampshire is all true, and I mean no offense, I happen to be a big fan of New Hampshire. This is my first fic in a very long time, so I would appreciate feedback if anyone wants to give it. Thanks for reading! 

Josh gripped Donna's arm as she slowly made her way up the stairs to CJ's apartment. 

"Isn't there supposed to be some law somewhere that says there should be ramps here or something?" Donna groaned as she hoisted her plastered leg up what felt like the one millionth stair. 

"Yeah, The Americans With Disabilities Act, I think." 

"So a ramp would kill them?" 

Donna stopped a minute, leaning up against Josh for support and breathing heavily. "You know, I've only been disabled for a short time now, but I'm beginning to hate people who can walk." 

Josh grinned at her, quite enjoying the fact she needed his help to get around. It made him feel important. Emboldened by this feeling, he bent over and swooped Donna up in his arms. 

"Josh!" she exclaimed as the ground went out from under her. Her leg, almost fully encased in a cast stuck out straight, leaving the rest of her body in a rather uncomfortable position. 

"Jesus, Donna…" Josh gasped and huffed, realizing he should have thought this plan through further. 

"Most of the weight is in the cast, Joshua," Donna argued. 

"Yeah, but still," he choked, "I think you might have enjoyed too much bratwurst in Germany." 

"Shut up and get moving." 

"My pleasure," he grunted, moving up the stairs as quickly as he could while maintaining balance. Once at the top, he unceremoniously deposited Donna on the top step to wait while he retrieved her wheel chair from the foot of the stairs. 

"You really make a girl feel like a princess, you know that Josh?" she yelled after him. 

He just grinned as he drug the folded chair up the stairs and set it up for her. As he reached to help her into it, she stopped him. 

"Hold it there, Mr. Universe, I can do this myself." 

Donna maneuvered herself into the chair with as much grace as she could muster, and Josh looked on. This was going to be a fun night, he was so happy to be back to normal for the most part, and having a nice night with some of his best friends. The night was five thousand times better with Donna there, he realized as he remembered that he was lucky to have her there at all. 

Once in her chair, Donna leaned back and let out a deep breath. "I think that's enough excitement for me. I don't want to move again for a long time." 

"But who will be my charades partner, then?" 

"Ha! You and I have too often been partners in charades, if you get my drift." 

"Touché. Well, here we are Ms. Daisy." 

"My hero," she deadpanned. 

Josh stuck out his tongue at her as he leaned over her shoulder to knock on CJ's door. And knock again… and again. 

Finally, CJ swung the door open, glaring at Josh. 

"You have the patience of a gerbil hopped up on pixie sticks, you know that?" 

"You aren't wearing the hat!" 

Deciding she didn't really want to talk to Josh anymore, CJ's glare turned warm and friendly as she greeted Donna. 

"I'm so glad you could come! But you look so tired…" 

"Hi CJ. Yeah, your stairs were a bit of a challenge." 

"Why did you go up the stairs? There is an elevator down the hall, you know." 

Donna jerked her head up to glare at Josh. "No, in fact we didn't know that." 

"Oops," Josh said as CJ motioned them in. 

"Well, no worries. Ahnold here seized the opportunity to flex some muscle," Donna commented as Josh wheeled her into CJ's apartment. 

"I have the strength of twelve oxen," Josh stated, flexing his arm at the two women. 

"Bull," CJ countered. 

"That too," Josh added, setting the break on Donna's chair. Then he cleared his throat loudly and stared at CJ, "I believe there was a hat involved with this deal, Ms. Craigg." 

"You're cute Josh." 

"That's all well and good, but I still don't see a hat." 

"I'd like to know why I'm always forced to wear funny hats." 

"Its because you're freakishly tall." 

"That has absolutely nothing to do with anything, and no I'm not." 

"Put on the hat." 

"I hate you," CJ scowled as she grabbed the chef's hat off the counter and sullenly put it on her head. 

"Where did you even get a floppy hat, CJ?" Donna asked. 

"It mysteriously appeared on my desk yesterday night." 

Donna raised her eyebrow at Josh, who had sprawled on CJ's couch like he owned the place. He just grinned at her. "So what's for dinner? I'm starved." 

"Ah! I'm so happy you asked, Joshua," CJ smiled at him sweetly. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes." 

"And I'd like to see some apron action too, Emrill." 

"Ha, ha." CJ said over her shoulder as she retreated to her kitchen. 

"So Josh, guess what I heard on the news this morning?" Donna asked as she settled more comfortably in her chair. 

Josh leaned forward and gave thanks one more time she was there to banter with him. He was also enjoying being able to look at her for as long as he wanted. She looked so much healthier, the cuts on her face nearly healed. He couldn't stand to see her wounded, although he was enjoying taking care of her. "What?" 

"Killington is attempting to secede from Vermont and join New Hampshire." 

"Killington? Where all the snow is?" He couldn't believe it. 

"Yes, Josh, your knowledge of geography astounds me. They want to secede from Vermont because they feel their taxes are unfairly high." 

"Yeah," he said, raising his eyebrows at her. 

"Can they even do that?" CJ called out from the kitchen. 

"Apparently they can," answered Donna. "All they need to do is pass the resolution in the town, then in both houses of the Vermont state congress, and then through New Hampshire's state congress. Then, bingo, new home state." 

"You know what this means, don't you?" Josh yelled to CJ. 

"Yeah, we're going to be subjected yet again to the list of 101 reasons why New Hampshire is better than any other state in the union on Monday morning." 

"Great," Josh said sarcastically. "You know, for a guy whose state rock crumbled a few years ago, you think he'd be less cocky about the whole thing." 

"Yeah. Well, for a guy whose state had its own rock to begin with you think he'd be less cocky," CJ said as she came out of the kitchen with two glasses. She handed one to Josh and the other to Donna. 

"What is this?" Josh asked, sniffing it suspiciously. 

"It is wheat grass juice. Drink it, its good for you." 

"Wait a minute! What did I do to deserve this?" 

"I think it was the hat," Donna quipped sipping her own, much more delicious looking drink. 

"It smells like grass," Josh moaned. 

"Thank you captain obvious." 

"Do I look like a cow to you?" 

"The White House has no comment at this point in time. Drink up." 

"Why does she get soda?" Josh whined, examining his own drink as if might jump up and bite him at any moment. 

"Because she was nearly blown up thousands of miles away from home by terrorists." 

It was Donna's turn to stick her tongue out at Josh. 

"Ok," Josh said, deciding that was a good reason and that this would not ruin his evening. He smiled at CJ and bravely took a large gulp of the drink, trying his best to be very manly about the whole thing, but failed as he nearly gagged and made a face at the both of them. 

"Good boy, Joshua." CJ said strolling back to the kitchen, her floppy had perched with renewed dignity on her head. 

Donna laughed at Josh and took another sip of her soda. She had missed him terribly while in Germany, despite being in and out of consciousness. It felt good to be back at work and with her friends where she felt at home. It felt even better to be back with Josh, at least during their personal time. 

CJ emerged from the kitchen carrying three plates. She handed one to Donna and then sat down on the couch next to Josh, giving him his plate. 

"What the heck is this!" he bellowed as he realized his plate was mostly green. 

"It is steamed vegetables, sautéed tofu, and a sensible salad with oil and vinegar dressing. Eat it, its good for you." 

"I don't thing this was part of the deal, Claudia Jean." 

"I never said what kind of dinner I would make, Joshua. You should've been more specific." 

"I can't believe I gave up doughnuts and brownies for a week for this… what are you guys eating? 

"Pizza with all the fixin's," CJ said as she took a big bite of her slice. 

Josh was speechless. He stared at Donna, who just mumbled "terrorists" through her full mouth and laughed at him with her eyes. 

"Fine," Josh said, spearing some steamed broccoli with his fork and shoving it in his mouth. "Fine. Whatever," he pointed his fork at Donna, "You just take it easy there, princess, I still have to carry you down those stairs." 

Donna raised her eyebrows incredulously, but with her mouth full of pizza the best she could do was hurl a throw pillow at him. 

"Hey!" he exclaimed, moving his dinner out of the way just in time. Donna went back to enjoying her pizza as CJ laughed at Josh through her own full mouth. 

Josh angrily speared another offensive vegetable with his fork, staying away from the tofu as best he could, and glowering at the two women. But inside, it still didn't matter, because he was having the best night he had had in a very long time. 


End file.
